Parents and guardians of young children will be asked to weigh in this month with their thoughts and experiences related to child care to help a city committee find ways to improve access in the community.

The Minot Committee on Child Care met Friday, Nov. 7, to review and tweak questions in a survey that is expected to be available online from Nov. 14-24. Minot Area Chamber EDC and the City of Minot have been working with First Children’s Finance, Minneapolis, to provide the survey.

Minot City Council member Lisa Olson, chair of the child care committee, said committee members have heard many anecdotes related to child care challenges and are looking to the survey to provide more formal information.

The survey will be more comprehensive than a smaller survey conducted about two years ago through MACEDC, said committee member Keli Rosselli-Sullivan, workforce specialist with MACEDC. She said the survey questionnaire will be shared through MACEDC’s investor members as well with the public through the City of Minot.

The committee also reviewed a proposed ordinance, currently before the Minot Planning Commission, related to allowing commercial child care facilities in residential areas. Home daycares currently are allowed in residential areas.

The proposed ordinance would require conditional use permits for commercial operations. Decisions to grant permits would consider compliance with building and fire codes and child care licensing. A site plan addressing traffic flow and parking would be required, and sound mitigation and a traffic impact study also could be required. The public hearing notification area would be expanded from 300 feet to 600 feet.